Manufacturing method of substrate  provided with semiconductor films

ABSTRACT

A plurality of rectangular single crystal semiconductor substrates are prepared. Each of the single crystal semiconductor substrates is doped with hydrogen ions and a damaged region is formed at a desired depth, and a bonding layer is formed on a surface thereof. The plurality of single crystal substrates with the damaged regions formed therein and the bonding layers formed thereover are arranged on a tray. Depression portions for holding the single crystal semiconductor substrates are formed in the tray. With the single crystal semiconductor substrates arranged on the tray, the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates with the damaged regions formed therein and the bonding layers formed thereover are bonded to a base substrate. By performing heat treatment and dividing the single crystal semiconductor substrates along the damaged regions, the plurality of single crystal semiconductor layers that are sliced are formed over the base substrate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a substrate provided with semiconductor films and a manufacturing method thereof. The substrate provided with semiconductor films is a semiconductor substrate having a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, the development of VLSI technology has been dramatic, and SOI technology, by which increase in speed and reduction in power consumption can be realized, has been attracting attention. With this technology, in a field effect transistor (FET) made of a bulk single crystal silicon substrate, an active region (channel-forming region) thereof is formed of a single crystal silicon thin film. It is known that when a MOS field effect transistor is manufactured using an SOI structure instead of a bulk single crystal silicon substrate, parasitic capacitance can be reduced, and such a MOS field effect transistor is advantageous in increasing speed.

As an SOI substrate, a SIMOX substrate and a bonded substrate are known. For example, in manufacturing a SIMOX substrate, by implanting oxygen ions to a bulk single crystal silicon substrate and performing a heat treatment at 1300° C. or higher to form a buried oxide (BOX) layer, a single crystal silicon thin film is formed on a surface of the BOX layer. In the manufacture of a SIMOX substrate, although the depth of the BOX layer can be controlled to form a single crystal thin film with even thickness since implantation of oxygen ions can be controlled with precision, there are problems in terms of operation time and cost because implantation of oxygen ions takes a long time. Further, another problem is that the single crystal silicon thin film is easily damaged by oxygen ion implantation.

In the manufacture of a bonded substrate, two single crystal silicon substrates (a base substrate and a bond substrate) are bonded together with an oxide film interposed therebetween. Then, one of the single crystal silicon substrates (the bond substrate) is thinned from a rear surface (the surface that is not bonded) so that a single crystal silicon thin film is formed. As a method of thinning the substrate, it is difficult to form an evenly thin single crystal silicon thin film by grinding and polishing; therefore, a technique of utilizing hydrogen ion implantation called “Smart Cut (trademark)” has been suggested (see Patent Document 1: Japanese Published Patent Application H5-211128).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

However, the size of a conventional SOI substrate depends on the size of a single crystal silicon wafer, and it is difficult to achieve size increase for conventional SOI substrates. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate provided with semiconductor films, which is a substrate of a larger size than a single crystal silicon substrate, to which a plurality of single crystal semiconductor layers are bonded. Another object is to provide a manufacturing method of a substrate provided with semiconductor films, by which a plurality of single crystal semiconductor layers can be bonded to a large-area substrate efficiently.

The substrate of the present invention provided with semiconductor films can be used as a substrate for manufacturing a semiconductor device. One aspect of the substrate of the present invention provided with semiconductor films includes a base substrate and a plurality of insulating layers disposed to be in contact with a top surface of the base substrate, and a single crystal semiconductor layer disposed to be in contact with a top surface of each of the insulating layers. As the base substrate, it is preferable to use a substrate with a side that is 300 mm or longer.

One aspect of a manufacturing method of a substrate of the present invention provided with semiconductor films includes steps of preparing a base substrate and a plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates each with an upper surface with an insulating layer formed thereover, a bonding layer formed over the insulating layer, and a damaged region formed in a region at a predetermined depth; arranging the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates on a tray; bonding the base substrate and the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates by disposing the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates arranged on the tray to be in contact with the base substrate with the bonding layers interposed therebetween to bond surfaces of the bonding layers and a surface of the base substrate, and then causing cracks in the damaged regions by heating the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates to obtain the base substrate to which a plurality of first single crystal semiconductor layers that are separated off from the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates are attached. Note that a formation step of the insulating layers include forming one layer or two or more layers of insulating films over each of the single crystal semiconductor substrates. Further, a formation step of the damaged regions include forming the damaged regions in the single crystal semiconductor substrates by exciting a source gas to generate plasma, and then adding an ion species contained in the plasma to the single crystal semiconductor substrates over which the insulating layers are formed. Furthermore, a formation step of the bonding layers include forming the bonding layers over the single crystal semiconductor substrates in which the damaged regions are formed and over which the insulating layers are formed, with the insulating layers interposed therebetween.

Another aspect of the manufacturing method of a substrate of the present invention provided with semiconductor films includes steps of preparing a base substrate and a plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates each with an upper surface with an insulating layer formed thereover, a bonding layer formed over the insulating layer, and a damaged region formed in a region at a predetermined depth; arranging the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates on a tray; bonding the base substrate and the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates by disposing the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates arranged on the tray to be in contact with the base substrate with the bonding layers interposed therebetween to bond surfaces of the bonding layers and a surface of the base substrate, and then causing cracks in the damaged regions by heating the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates to obtain the base substrate to which a plurality of first single crystal semiconductor layers that are separated off from the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates are attached. A formation step of the insulating layers includes forming one layer or two or more layers of insulating films over each of the single crystal semiconductor substrates. Further, a formation step of the bonding layers includes forming the bonding layers over the single crystal semiconductor substrates over which the insulating layers are formed, with the insulating layers interposed therebetween. Furthermore, a formation step of the damaged regions include forming the damaged regions in the single crystal semiconductor substrates by exciting a source gas to generate plasma, and then adding an ion species contained in the plasma to the single crystal semiconductor substrates over which the insulating layers and the bonding layers are formed.

Yet another aspect of the manufacturing method of a substrate of the present invention provided with semiconductor films includes steps of preparing a base substrate and a plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates each with an upper surface with an insulating layer formed thereover, a bonding layer formed over the insulating layer, and a damaged region formed in a region at a predetermined depth; arranging the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates on a tray; bonding the base substrate and the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates by disposing the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates arranged on the tray to be in contact with the base substrate with the bonding layers interposed therebetween to bond surfaces of the bonding layers and a surface of the base substrate, and causing cracks in the damaged regions by heating the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates to obtain the base substrate to which a plurality of first single crystal semiconductor layers that are separated off from the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates are attached. Also, a formation step of the damaged regions include forming the damaged regions in the single crystal semiconductor substrates by exciting a source gas to generate plasma, and then adding an ion species contained in the plasma to the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates. Further, a formation step of the insulating layers includes forming one layer or two or more layers of insulating films over each of the single crystal semiconductor substrates in which the damaged regions are formed. Furthermore, a formation step of the bonding layers include forming the bonding layers over the single crystal semiconductor substrate in which the damaged regions are formed and over which the insulating layers are formed, with the insulating layers interposed therebetween.

In the manufacturing method of a substrate of the present invention provided with semiconductor films, a substrate with a side that has a length of 300 mm or more is preferably used as the base substrate. In addition, the bonding layer is preferably formed over the insulating layer that is formed in contact with the single crystal semiconductor substrate.

A substrate of the present invention provided with semiconductor films is a substrate with an SOI structure that has a larger area than a bulk single crystal semiconductor substrate such as a Si wafer. Accordingly, by using the substrate of the present invention provided with semiconductor films, productivity of a semiconductor device such as a semiconductor integrated circuit for example, can be improved. Note that in this specification, a semiconductor device refers to devices in general that can function by utilizing semiconductor characteristics.

According to a manufacturing method of the present invention, a substrate provided with semiconductor films that has an SOI structure, which has a larger area than a bulk single crystal semiconductor substrate such as a Si wafer, can be manufactured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is an external view showing an example of a structure of a substrate provided with semiconductor films;

FIG. 2 is an external view showing an example of a structure of a single crystal semiconductor substrate;

FIGS. 3A to 3D are cross-sectional views showing a manufacturing method of a substrate provided with semiconductor films;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views showing a manufacturing method of a substrate provided with semiconductor films;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a manufacturing method of a substrate provided with semiconductor films;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are cross-sectional views showing a manufacturing method of a substrate provided with semiconductor films;

FIG. 7 is an external view showing an example of a structure of a tray;

FIG. 8 is an external view showing a plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates arranged on a tray;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are each a top view showing a structural example of a tray;

FIGS. 10A and 10B are each a top view showing a structural example of a tray;

FIGS. 11A to 11D are diagrams describing a reprocessing treatment of a single crystal semiconductor substrate;

FIGS. 12A to 12D are cross-sectional views describing a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device;

FIGS. 13A to 13C are cross-sectional views describing a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view and a top view of a semiconductor device;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing an example of a structure of a microprocessor;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing an example of a structure of a semiconductor device;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a main portion of a substrate provided with semiconductor films;

FIG. 18A is a plane view of a pixel of a liquid crystal display device and FIG. 18B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 18A along a section line J-K;

FIG. 19A is a plane view of a pixel of an electroluminescent display device and

FIG. 19B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 19A along a section line J-K;

FIGS. 20A to 20C are perspective views of a cellular phone, a digital player, and an electronic book, respectively; and

FIG. 21 is a perspective view describing an example of a structure of a tray.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Embodiment Mode

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described. It is easily understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be carried out in many different modes, and modes and details disclosed herein can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the description of the embodiment modes. Note that components denoted by the same reference numerals in different drawings are the same components; therefore, repetitive descriptions on material, form, manufacturing method, and the like are omitted.

Embodiment Mode 1

In this embodiment mode, a substrate provided with semiconductor films with an SOI structure, which is a substrate provided with a plurality of single crystal semiconductor layers, and a manufacturing method thereof are described.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a structural example of a substrate 100 provided with semiconductor films. As the substrate 100 provided with semiconductor films, a plurality of single crystal semiconductor films 116 are bonded to a base substrate 101. Each of the single crystal semiconductor layers 116 is provided over the base substrate 101 with an insulating layer 102 interposed therebetween, and the substrate 100 provided with semiconductor films is a so-called semiconductor substrate with an SOI structure. Accordingly, the substrate 100 provided with semiconductor films will hereinafter be called a “semiconductor substrate 100.”

The insulating layer 102 may have a single-layer structure or a stacked-layer structure. In this embodiment mode, the insulating layer 102 has a three-layer structure. Over the base substrate 101, a bonding layer 114, an insulating film 112 b, and an insulating film 112 a are stacked in this order.

Each of the single crystal semiconductor layers 116 is a layer formed by thinning a single crystal semiconductor substrate. A commercially available semiconductor substrate can be used as the single crystal semiconductor substrate. For example, a single crystal semiconductor substrate made of a group 4 element such as a single crystal silicon substrate, a single crystal germanium substrate, or a single crystal silicon-germanium substrate can be used. Alternatively, a compound semiconductor substrate including gallium arsenide, indium phosphite, or the like can be used.

As the base substrate 101, a substrate having an insulating surface is used. Specifically, various glass substrates used in the electronics industry, such as substrates using aluminosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, and bariumborosilicate glass can be given, as well as a quartz substrate, a ceramic substrate, and a sapphire substrate. Preferably, a glass substrate is used as the base substrate 101. As a glass substrate, one that has a coefficient of thermal expansion of higher than or equal to 25×10⁻⁷/° C. and less than or equal to 50×10⁻⁷/° C. (preferably higher than or equal to 30×10⁻⁷/° C. and less than or equal to 40×10⁻⁷/° C.), and a distortion point at higher than or equal to 580° C. and lower than or equal to 680° C. (preferably higher than or equal to 600° C. and lower than or equal to 680° C.). Further, to suppress contamination of a semiconductor device, the glass substrate is preferably a non-alkali glass. As a material of the non-alkali glass substrate, glass materials such as aluminosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, and bariumborosilicate glass can be given, for example. Further, as the base substrate 101, an insulating substrate made of an insulator such as a ceramic substrate, a quartz substrate, or a sapphire substrate; a conductive substrate made of a conductor such as a metal or stainless steel; or a semiconductor substrate made of a semiconductor such as silicon or gallium arsenide; or the like can be used instead of a glass substrate.

As the base substrate 101, it is preferable that a substrate that is 300 mm×300 mm or larger is used. For example, as such a large-area substrate, a mother glass substrate developed for manufacturing liquid crystal panels is preferably used. Substrates with the following sizes are known as mother glass substrates, for example: 3^(rd) generation (550 mm×650 mm), 3.5^(th) generation (600 mm×720 mm), 4^(th) generation (680 mm×880 mm or 730 mm×920 mm), 5^(th) generation (1100 mm×1300 mm), 6^(th) generation (1500 mm×1850 mm), 7^(th) generation (1870 mm×2200 mm), 8^(th) generation (2200 mm×2400 mm), and the like. By manufacturing an SOI substrate using a large-area mother glass substrate as the base substrate 101, size increase of the SOI substrate can be realized.

Size increase of an SOI substrate can be realized by using a large-area substrate such as a mother glass substrate, as the base substrate 101. When size increase of an SOI substrate is realized, a large number of IC chips, LSI chips, or the like can be manufactured from one SOI substrate. This can greatly improve productivity since the number of chips manufactured from one substrate increases.

A manufacturing method of the semiconductor substrate 100 (the substrate 100 provided with semiconductor films) shown in FIG. 1 is described with reference to FIG. 2, FIGS. 3A to 3D, FIGS. 4A and 4B, FIG. 5, FIGS. 6A and 6B, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, FIGS. 9A and 9B, and FIGS. 10A and 10B.

First, a single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 is prepared. The single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 is processed into a desired size and shape. FIG. 2 is an external view showing an example of a structure of the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111. When the fact that the shape of the base substrate 101 to which the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are bonded is rectangular and a light-exposing region of a light exposure apparatus such as a reduced-projection light exposure apparatus is rectangular is taken into consideration, a shape of the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 is preferably rectangular as shown in FIG. 2. Note that unless otherwise specified, a square is also included as a rectangle. For example, the length of a long side of the rectangular single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 is preferably processed so as to be n (n is an arbitrary positive integer, and n≧1) times the length of a side of one shot of the light-exposing region of a reduced-projection light exposure apparatus.

The rectangular single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 can be formed by cutting a circular, bulk single crystal semiconductor substrate that is commercially available. To cut the substrate, a cutting apparatus such as a dicer or a wire saw, a cutting means such as a laser cutter, a plasma cutter, or an electron beam cutter, or the like can be used. Alternatively, before being sliced into a substrate, an ingot for manufacturing semiconductor substrates can be processed into a rectangular solid so that it has a rectangular cross section, and this ingot that is a rectangular solid may be sliced to manufacture the rectangular single crystal semiconductor substrate 111.

Note that in the case of using as the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 a substrate made of a group 4 element, which has a diamond structure as a crystal structure like a single crystal silicon substrate, a plane orientation of a main surface thereof may be (100), (110), or (111). By using the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 with a main surface of (100), the interface state density between the single crystal semiconductor layer 116 and the insulating layer formed on a surface thereof can be made to be low, which is favorable in manufacturing a field-effect transistor.

By using the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 with a main surface of (110), a close bond between an element included in the insulating film 112 a and a group 4 element (for example a silicon element) included in the single crystal semiconductor layer 116 is formed on a bonded surface between the insulating film 112 a and the single crystal semiconductor layer 116. Accordingly, a bond force between the bonding layer 114 and the single crystal semiconductor layer 116 is improved.

By using the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 with a main surface of (110), planarity of the single crystal semiconductor layer 116 is improved since atoms are densely arranged on the main surface compared to surfaces of other plane orientations. Accordingly, a transistor manufactured using the single crystal semiconductor layer 116 with a main surface of (110) has excellent electric characteristics such as a small S value and a high electron field-effect mobility. Note that the single crystal semiconductor substrate with a main surface of (110) has a higher Young's modulus than the single crystal semiconductor substrate with a main surface of (100), and has an advantage that cleavage is easily formed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3A, the insulating layer 112 is formed over the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111. The insulating layer 112 can have a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure of two more layers. The thickness of the insulating layer 112 can be more than or equal to 5 nm and less than or equal to 400 nm. As the insulating layer 112, an insulating film containing silicon or germanium in its composition, such as a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film, a silicon oxynitride film, a silicon nitride oxide film, a germanium oxide film, a germanium nitride film, a germanium oxynitride film, or a germanium nitride oxide film can be used. Alternatively, an insulating film made of a metal oxide such as aluminum oxide, tantalum oxide, or hafnium oxide; an insulating film made of a metal nitride such as aluminum nitride; an insulating film made of a metal oxynitride such as an aluminum oxynitride film; or an insulating film made of a metal nitride oxide such as an aluminum nitride oxide film, can be used.

Note that in this specification, an oxynitride is a substance with a composition in which the number of oxygen atoms is more than the number of nitrogen atoms, and a nitride oxide is a substance with a composition in which the number of nitrogen atoms is more than the number of oxygen atoms. For example, silicon oxynitride is a substance including oxygen, nitrogen, silicon, and hydrogen in ranges of 50 at. % to 65 at. % inclusive, 0.5 at. % to 20 at. % inclusive, 25 at. % to 35 at. % inclusive, and 0.1 at. % to 20 at. % inclusive, respectively. Further, silicon nitride oxide is a substance including oxygen, nitrogen, silicon, and hydrogen in ranges of 5 at. % to 30 at. % inclusive, 20 at. % to 55 at. % inclusive, 25 at. % to 35 at. % inclusive, and 10 at. % to 30 at. % inclusive, respectively. Note that compositions of an oxynitride and a nitride oxide can be measured using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and hydrogen forward scattering (HFS). Note that percentages of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and silicon are values when the total number of atoms contained in the silicon oxynitride or silicon nitride oxide is defined as 100 at. %.

The insulating film forming the insualting layer 112 can be formed by a CVD method, a sputtering method, a method of oxidizing or nitriding the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111, or the like.

In the case of using as the base substrate 101 a substrate containing an impurity such as an alkali metal or an alkali-earth metal that reduces reliability of a semiconductor device, the insulating layer 112 is preferably provided with at least one layer of a film that can prevent such an impurity from diffusing into the semiconductor layer of the SOI substrate from the base substrate 101. As such a film, a silicon nitride film, a silicon nitride oxide film, an aluminum nitride film, an aluminum nitride oxide film, or the like can be given. By including such a film, the insulating layer 112 can function as a barrier layer.

For example, in the case of forming the insulating layer 112 as a barrier layer with a single-layer structure, a silicon nitride film, a silicon nitride oxide film, an aluminum nitride film, or an aluminum nitride oxide film can be formed with a thickness of 5 nm to 200 nm inclusive.

In the case of forming the insulating layer 112 as a barrier layer with a two-layer structure, an upper layer is formed of an insulating film with a high barrier function. As such an insulating film, a silicon nitride film, a silicon nitride oxide film, an aluminum nitride film, or an aluminum nitride oxide film can be formed with a thickness of 5 nm to 200 nm inclusive. These films have high blocking effects that prevent diffusion of impurity, but have high internal stress. Therefore, as an insulating film of a lower layer that is in contact with the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111, it is preferable to select a film that has an effect of alleviating the stress of an insulating film of the upper layer. As such an insulating film, a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film, a thermally oxidized film formed by thermally oxidizing the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111, and the like can be given. The thickness of the insulating film of the lower layer can be 5 nm to 300 nm inclusive.

In this embodiment mode, the insulating layer 112 has a two-layer structure including the insulating film 112 a and the insulating film 112 b. As combinations of the insulating film 112 a that serves as a blocking film and the insulating film 112 b in the insulating layer 112, the following can be given as examples. A silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride film, a silicon oxynitride film and a silicon nitride film, a silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride oxide film, a silicon oxynitride film and a silicon nitride oxide film, and the like.

For example, the insulating film 112 a of the upper layer can be formed of a silicon oxynitride film that is formed by a plasma-excitation CVD method (hereinafter referred to as “PECVD method”) using SiH₄ and N₂O for process gases. Alternatively, as the insulating film 112 a, a silicon oxide film can be formed by a PECVD method using organosilane and oxygen as process gases. Further alternatively, the insulating film 112 a may be formed of an oxide film formed by oxidizing the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111.

Organosilane is a compound such as the following: tetraethoxysilane (TEOS, chemical formula: Si(OC₂H₅)₄), tetramethylsilane (TMS, chemical formula: Si(CH₃)₄), tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (TMCTS), octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMCTS), hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), triethoxysilane (SiH(OC₂H₅)₃), trisdimethylaminosilane (SiH(N(CH₃)₂)₃), or the like.

The insulating film 112 b of the lower layer can be formed of a silicon nitride oxide film that is formed by a PECVD method using SiH₄, N₂O, NH₃, and H₂ as process gasses, or a silicon nitride film that is formed by a PECVD method using SiH₄, N₂, N₃, and H₂ as process gasses.

For example, in the case of forming the insulating film 112 a made of a silicon oxynitride and the insulating film 112 b made of silicon nitride oxide by a PECVD method, the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 is carried into a treatment chamber of a PECVD apparatus. Then, SiH₄ and N₂O are supplied to the treatment chamber as process gasses for forming the insulating film 112 a, plasma of these process gases are generated, and a silicon nitride oxide film is formed over the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111. Next, gases introduced into the treatment chamber are switched to gases for a process for forming the insulating film 112 b. Here, SiH₄, NH₃, H₂ and N₂O are used. Plasma of a mixed gas of these gases is generated, and a silicon nitride oxide film is formed over the silicon oxynitride film without a break. Also, in the case of using a PECVD apparatus with plural treatment chambers, the silicon oxynitride film and the silicon nitride oxide film can be formed in different treatment chambers. Of course, by switching the gases introduced to the treatment chamber, a silicon oxide film can be formed as the lower layer and a silicon nitride film can be formed as the upper layer.

By forming the insulating film 112 a and the insulating film 112 b in the above manner, the insulating layer 112 can be formed over each of a plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 in favorable throughput. Further, because the insulating film 112 a and the insulating film 112 b can be formed without being exposed to air, contamination of an interface between the insulating film 112 a and the insulating film 112 b by air can be prevented.

Alternatively, an oxide film formed by oxidizing the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 can be used as the insulating film 112 a. A thermal oxidation treatment for forming this oxide film may be dry oxidation, but adding a gas containing halogen into an oxygen atmosphere is preferable. As the gas containing halogen, one type or plural types of gasses selected from the following can be used: HCl, HF, NF₃, HBr, Cl₂, ClF₃, BCl₃, F₂, Br₂, and the like.

For example, a heat treatment is performed at 700° C. or higher, in an atmosphere containing HCl at 0.5% to 10% by volume (preferably 3% by volume) with respect to oxygen. It is preferable that the thermal oxidation is performed at a heating temperature of 950° C. to 1100° C. inclusive. Treatment time may be 0.1 to 6 hours, preferably 0.5 to 1 hour. The thickness of the oxide film that is formed can be made to be 10 nm to 1000 nm (preferably 50 nm to 200 nm), for example, 100 nm.

By performing an oxidation treatment in such a temperature range, a gettering effect by a halogen element can be obtained. As the gettering effect, there is an effect of removing a metal impurity in particular. That is, by the action of chlorine, an impurity such as metal or the like turns into volatile chloride, and then is released into an air phase and removed from the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111. Also, by the halogen element contained in the oxide layer, a dangling bond on a surface of the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 is terminated, and localized level density at an interface of the oxide film and the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 can be reduced.

By this thermal oxidation treatment in an atmosphere containing halogen, the oxide film can contain halogen. By containing a halogen element at a concentration of 1×10¹⁷ atoms/cm³ to 5×10²⁰ atoms/cm³, the oxide film can manifest a function of a protective film that prevents contamination of the single crystal semiconductor layer 116 by capturing an impurity such as a metal, in the semiconductor substrate 100.

Next, a step of forming a damaged region 113 in the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 is described with reference to FIG. 3B. An ion beam 121, which is made of ions that are accelerated by an electric field, is emitted to the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 through the insulating layer 112, to form the damaged region 113 in a region that is at a predetermined depth from a surface of the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111. This ion irradiation step is a step in which the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 is irradiated with the ion beam 121 made of an accelerated ion species, to add an element included in the ion species to the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111. Accordingly, when the ion beam 121 is emitted to the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111, an embrittled layer in which a crystal structure is brittle is formed at a predetermined depth in the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 by impact of the accelerated ion species. This layer is the damaged region 113. The ion beam 121 is generated by exciting a source gas to generate plasma of the source gas, and then extracting ions contained in the plasma by an effect of an electric field.

The depth of the region in which the damaged region 113 is formed can be adjusted by controlling acceleration energy and incidence angle of the ion beam 121. The acceleration energy can be adjusted by controlling acceleration voltage, dose, or the like. The damaged region 113 is formed in a region that is at about the same depth as the average penetration depth of the ions. The thickness of a semiconductor layer that is separated from the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 is set depending on the depth to which the ions are added. The depth at which the damaged region 113 is formed is in the range of 50 nm to 500 nm inclusive, preferably 50 nm to 200 nm inclusive.

In adding the ions to the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111, it is preferable to use an ion doping method that does not involve mass separation, instead of an ion implantation method that does. This is because tact time for forming the damaged region 113 in the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 can be shortened.

The single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 is carried into an ion doping apparatus. Then, a source gas is excited to generate plasma, an ion species is extracted from the plasma and accelerated to generate the ion beam 121, and the ion beam 121 is emitted to a plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates 111. Consequently, the ions are introduced to a region at a predetermined depth at a high concentration, and the damaged region 113 is formed in the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111.

In the case of using hydrogen (H₂) for the source gas, the hydrogen gas can be excited to generate plasma containing H⁺, H₂ ⁺, and H₃ ⁺. The types and ratio of ion species generated from the source gas can be varied by adjusting an excitation method of plasma, pressure of an atmosphere in which plasma is generated, supply quantity of a source gas, or the like. When the total amount of H⁺, H₂ ⁺, and H₃ ⁺ contained in the ion beam 121 is defined as 100%, H₃ ⁺ is preferably included at more than or equal to 50%, and further preferably at more than or equal to 80%.

Since H₃ ⁺ has a larger number of hydrogen atoms compared to the other hydrogen ion species (H⁺, and H₂ ⁺) and therefore has a larger mass, in the case of being accelerated with the same energy, H₃ ⁺ is implanted in a shallower region of the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 compared to H⁺, and H₂ ⁺. Therefore, by a high percentage of H₃ ⁺ contained in the ion beam 121, variation in the average penetration depth of the hydrogen ions becomes small; accordingly, a concentration profile of hydrogen in a depth direction in the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 becomes steep, and a peak position of the profile can be made to be shallow. Consequently, it is preferable that when the total amount of H⁺, H₂ ⁺, and H₃ ⁺ contained in the ion beam 121 is defined as 100%, H₃ ⁺ is preferably included at more than or equal to 50%, and further preferably at more than or equal to 80%.

In the case of performing ion addition by an ion doping method using hydrogen gas, the acceleration voltage can be 10 kV to 200 kV inclusive, and the dose can be 1×10¹⁶ ions/cm² to 6×10¹⁶ ions/cm² inclusive. By adding hydrogen ions under this condition, the damaged region 113 can be formed in a region in the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 that is at a depth of 50 nm to 500 nm inclusive, although it depends on an ion species contained in the ion beam 121 and the percentage thereof.

For example, in the case in which the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 is a single crystal silicon substrate, the insulating film 112 a is a silicon oxynitride film with a thickness of 50 nm, and the insulating film 112 b is a silicon nitride oxide film with a thickness of 50 nm, under a condition in which the source gas is hydrogen, the acceleration voltage is 40 kV, and the dose is 2.2×10¹⁶ ions/cm², a single crystal semiconductor layer with a thickness of about 120 nm can be peeled off from the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111. Alternatively, when hydrogen ions are added under a condition that is the same as above except for the insulating film 112 a being a silicon oxynitride film with a thickness of 100 nm, a single crystal semiconductor layer with a thickness of about 70 nm can be peeled off from the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111.

For the source gas of the ion beam 121, helium (He) can also be used. Since ion species generated by exciting helium are almost all He⁺, even by an ion doping method that does not involve mass separation, He⁺ can be added into the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 as the main ions. Accordingly, microvoids can be formed efficiently in the damaged region 113 by an ion doping method. In the case of performing ion addition by an ion doping method using helium, the acceleration voltage can be 10 kV to 200 kV inclusive, and the dose can be 1×10¹⁶ ions/cm² to 6×10¹⁶ ions/cm² inclusive.

A halogen gas such as chlorine gas (Cl₂ gas) or fluorine gas (F₂ gas) can be used for the source gas.

After forming the damaged region 113, the bonding layer 114 is formed over a top surface of the insulating layer 112 as shown in FIG. 3C. In a step of forming the bonding layer 114, a heating temperature of the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 is to be a temperature at which an element or a molecule added to the damaged region 113 does not separate out, and the heating temperature is preferably 350° C. or lower. In other words, this heating temperature is a temperature at which gas is not released from the damaged region 113. Note that the bonding layer 114 can be formed before forming the damaged region 113. In this case, a processing temperature for forming the bonding layer 114 can be 350° C. or higher.

The bonding layer 114 is a layer for forming a smooth and hydrophilic bonding plane on the surface of the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111. Therefore, the mean surface roughness Ra of the bonding layer 114 is less than or equal to 0.7 nm, and more preferably less than or equal to 0.4 nm. The thickness of the bonding layer 114 can be 10 nm to 200 nm inclusive. The thickness is preferably 5 nm to 500 nm inclusive, and more preferably 10 nm to 200 nm inclusive.

The bonding layer 114 is preferably an insulating film formed by a chemical vapor reaction. For example, a silicon oxide film, a silicon oxynitride film, a silicon nitride oxide film, a silicon nitride film, or the like can be formed as the bonding layer 114. In the case of forming a silicon oxide film by a PECVD method as the bonding layer 114, an organosilane gas and an oxygen (O₂) gas are preferably used as a source gas. Usage of organosilane as a source gas enables formation of a silicon oxide film having a smooth surface at a process temperature of 350° C. or lower. Alternatively, the bonding layer 114 can be formed using a low temperature oxide (LTO) which is formed by a thermal CVD method at a heating temperature of 200° C. to 500° C. inclusive. For formation of the LTO, monosilane (SiH₄), disilane (Si₂H₆), or the like can be used as a silicon source gas, and N₂O or the like can be used as an oxygen source gas.

For example, the condition example for forming the bonding layer 114 of a silicon oxide film using TEOS and O₂ as a source gas is such that TEOS is introduced into a treatment chamber at a flow rate of 15 sccm and O₂ is introduced at a flow rate of 750 sccm. The film formation pressure can be 100 Pa, the film formation temperature can be 300° C., the high-frequency power output can be 300 W, and the power frequency can be 13.56 MHz.

The order of the step of FIG. 3B and the step of FIG. 3C can be reversed. In other words, after forming the insulating layer 112 and the bonding layer 114 on the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates 111, the damaged regions 113 can be formed. In this case, if the insulating layer 112 and the bonding layer 114 can be formed with the same film formation apparatus, it is preferable to sequentially form the insulating layer 112 and the bonding layer 114.

Further alternatively, after the step of FIG. 3B, the step of FIG. 3A and the step of FIG. 3C can be performed. In other words, after forming the damaged regions 113 by doping the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 with ions, the insulating layer 112 and the bonding layer 114 can be formed. In this case, if the insulating layer 112 and the bonding layer 114 can be formed with the same film formation apparatus, it is preferable to sequentially form the insulating layer 112 and the bonding layer 114. Alternatively, in order to protect the surfaces of the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111, before forming the damaged regions 113, the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 can be subjected to oxidation treatment to form an oxide film on the surfaces and the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 can be doped with ion species through the oxide film. This oxide film is removed after formation of the damaged regions 113. Alternatively, the insulating layer 112 can be formed with this oxide film left behind.

Since the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are doped with ion species produced from a source gas by an ion doping method for forming the damaged regions 113, ion species other than the ion species of the source gas are included in the ion beam 121. Such other ion species are, for example, metal or the like which partly forms a tool or an electrode of a treatment chamber of the ion doping apparatus. Since the other ion species have larger mass than the ion species of the source gas (such as hydrogen or helium), the other ion species are introduced by doping to a surface of a film (the insulating layer 112, the bonding layer 114, or the oxide film) which is formed on the surfaces of the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111. In order to remove the impurities such as the metal, the surface of the film formed on the surfaces of the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 can be thinly removed by wet etching after the ion doping step.

Next, the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 each provided with the insulating layer 112, the damaged region 113, and the bonding layer 114 are cleaned. This cleaning step can be performed by ultrasonic cleaning with pure water. As the ultrasonic cleaning, megahertz ultrasonic cleaning (megasonic cleaning) is preferable. After the ultrasonic cleaning, the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 may be cleaned with ozone water. By cleaning with ozone water, an organic substance can be removed, and a surface activation treatment which improves a hydrophilic property of the surfaces of the bonding layers 114 can be performed.

As the activation treatment of the surfaces of the bonding layers 114, irradiation treatment with an atomic beam or an ion beam, plasma treatment, or radical treatment can be performed as well as the cleaning with ozone water. When an atomic beam or an ion beam is used, an inert gas neutral atom beam or inert gas ion beam of argon or the like can be used.

After the cleaning step and the surface activation treatment, the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are arranged on a tray 10. By arranging the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 on the tray 10, the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 can be easily bonded to desired positions of the base substrate 101 in high throughput. Note that the surface activation treatment can be performed with the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 arranged on the tray 10.

FIG. 7 is an external view showing a structural example of the tray 10. The tray 10 is a plate-like member and is provided with a plurality of depression portions 11 for holding the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111. The tray illustrated in FIG. 7 is a tray for manufacturing the semiconductor substrate 100 of FIG. 1, in which depression portions 11 are formed in three rows and three columns. The tray 10 is manufactured using a material which does not change its quality and shape by heat treatment in a manufacturing process of the semiconductor substrate 100. In particular, a material which does not expand much by heat treatment is preferably selected. For example, the tray 10 can be manufactured using quartz glass, stainless steel, non-alkali glass, or the like. FIG. 8 is an external view showing the tray 10 on which the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 each provided with the insulating layer 112, the bonding layer 114, and the damaged region 113 are arranged. A cross-sectional view of the diagram in FIG. 8 corresponds to FIG. 3D.

The thickness of the tray 10 can be 1.1 mm to 2 mm inclusive. The depth of the depression portions 11 can be 0.2 mm to 0.6 mm inclusive, and preferably 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm inclusive. The tray 10 preferably has the same size as the base substrate 101. The depression portions 11 may have such a size that the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 fit in the depression portions 11. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the size and array of the single crystal semiconductor layers 116 of the semiconductor substrate 100 are restricted by the size and array of the depression portions 11 in the manufacturing method of this embodiment mode.

FIGS. 9A and 9B, and FIGS. 10A and 10B are top views illustrating structural examples of the tray 10. FIGS. 9A and 9B are plane views of the tray 10 in the case of using a mother glass substrate having a size of 600 mm×720 mm as the base substrate 101, where the tray 10 has a size of 600 mm×720 mm. FIGS. 10A and 10B are plane views of the tray 10 in the case of using a fourth generation mother glass substrate having a size of 730 mm×920 mm as the base substrate 101, where the tray 10 has a size of 730 mm×920 mm.

FIG. 9A is a plane view of the tray 10 which is selected in consideration of the size and array of the depression portions 11 in order to correspond with a reduced-projection light exposure apparatus having a light exposure region size of 4 inches on each side. The tray 10 is divided into four blocks, and nine depression portions 11 are formed in three rows and three columns in each block. Each of the depression portions 11 has a size of 102 mm×82 mm so as to fit in a light exposure region of one shot. In one block, the distances between adjacent depression portions 11 in rows and in columns are both 11 mm, and the distances from sides of the tray 10 to sides of the depression portions 11 closest to the sides of the tray 10 in a longitudinal direction and in a lateral direction are both 16 mm.

FIG. 9B is a plane view of the tray 10 selected in consideration of the size and array of the depression portions 11 in order to correspond with a reduced-projection light exposure apparatus having a light exposure region size of 5 inches on each side. The tray 10 is divided into four blocks, and six depression portions 11 are formed in three rows and two columns in each block. Each of the depression portions 11 has a size of 102 mm×130 mm so as to fit in a light exposure region of one shot. In one block, the distances between the adjacent depression portions 11 in columns are 11 mm, and the distances between adjacent depression portions 11 in rows are 10 mm. The distances from sides of the tray 10 to sides of the depression portions 11 closest to the sides of the tray 10 in a longitudinal direction and in a lateral direction are both 16 mm.

FIG. 10A is a plane view of the tray 10 which is selected in consideration of the size and array of the depression portions 11 in order to correspond with a reduced-projection light exposure apparatus having a light exposure region size of 4 inches on each side. The tray 10 is divided into six blocks, and nine depression portions 11 are formed in three rows and three columns in each block. Each of the depression portions 11 has a size of 105 mm×84 mm so as to fit in a light exposure region of one shot. In one block, the distances between the adjacent depression portions 11 in columns are 10 mm, and the distances between adjacent depression portions 11 in rows are 10 mm. The distances from sides of the tray 10 to sides of the depression portions 11 closest to the sides of the tray 10 in a longitudinal direction are 16 mm, and the distances from sides of the tray 10 to sides of the depression portions 11 closest to the sides of the tray 10 in a lateral direction are 15 mm.

FIG. 10B is a plane view of the tray 10 selected in consideration of the size and array of the depression portions 11 in order to correspond with a reduced-projection light exposure apparatus having a light exposure region size of 5 inches on each side. The tray 10 is divided into six blocks, and six depression portions 11 are formed in two rows and three columns in each block. Each of the depression portions 11 has a size of 132 mm×105 mm so as to fit in a light exposure region of one shot. In one block, the distances between the adjacent depression portions 11 in columns are 13 mm, and the distances between adjacent depression portions 11 in rows are 10 mm. The distances from sides of the tray 10 to sides of the depression portions 11 closest to the sides of the tray 10 in a longitudinal direction and in a lateral direction are both 15 mm.

Next, after the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are arranged on the tray 10 as shown in FIG. 3D, the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 arranged on the tray 10 and the base substrate 101 are bonded. Before bonding, the base substrate 101 is also cleaned. At that time, cleaning with hydrochloric acid and a hydrogen peroxide solution, or megahertz ultrasonic cleaning can be used. Similarly to the bonding layers 114, the surface to be a bonding plane of the base substrate 101 is preferably subjected to surface activation treatment.

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a bonding step. The base substrate 101 is placed from above the tray 10 on which the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are arranged, and the base substrate 101 and the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are disposed to be in close contact with each other with the bonding layers 114 interposed therebetween. A pressure of about 300 N/cm² to 15000 N/cm² is applied to one part of the edge of the base substrate 101. This pressure is preferably 1000 N/cm² to 5000 N/cm². The bonding layers 114 and the base substrate 101 start bonding to each other from the pressurized part. Then, all the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 on the tray 10 are bonded to one base substrate 101, so that the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 can be disposed in contact with the base substrate 101. This bonding step can be performed at room temperature without heat treatment; therefore, a substrate with such low heat resistance as to have an allowable temperature limit of 700° C. or lower like a glass substrate can be used as the base substrate 101.

Since the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are arranged on the tray 10, there is a case where a surface of the bonding layer 114 is not in contact with the base substrate 101 in one single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 due to difference in thickness between the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111. Therefore, it is preferable to apply pressure to not one part (one single crystal semiconductor substrate) but to each of the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111. Further, even in the case where there is variation in height of the surfaces of the bonding layers 114 when the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are arranged on the tray 10, if one part of the bonding layers 114 is in contact with the base substrate 101 due to deflection of the base substrate 101, bonding can proceed to the entire surface of the bonding layers 114.

After placing the base substrate 101 above the tray 10 as illustrated in FIG. 4A, the position of the base substrate 101 may be changed to the bottom as illustrated in FIG. 5. By turning the base substrate 101 and the tray 10 upside down, the difference in thickness between the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 can be balanced out, so that the entire surfaces of the bonding layers 114 can be easily made to be in contact with the surface of the base substrate 101.

After bonding the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 to the base substrate 101, it is preferable to perform heat treatment in order to increase bond force at a bonding interface between the base substrate 101 and the bonding layers 114. This treatment temperature is set at a temperature which does not cause a crack in the damaged regions 113 and can be in a temperature range of 200° C. to 450° C. inclusive. Further, when the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are bonded to the base substrate 101 while heating at a temperature in the above-described range, bond force at the bonding interface between the base substrate 101 and the bonding layer 114 can be made strong.

When the base substrate 101 is placed above the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 arranged on the tray 10 as illustrated in FIG. 4A, if the bonding plane is contaminated by dusts or the like, bonding does not occur in the contaminated part. Accordingly, in order to prevent contamination at the bonding plane, placement of the base substrate 101 is preferably conducted in an airtight treatment chamber. In addition, the treatment chamber preferably has a reduced pressure of about 5.0×10⁻³ Pa, and the atmosphere at the bonding treatment is preferably kept clean.

Next, heat treatment is performed to cause separation at the damaged regions 113, so that single crystal semiconductor layers 115 are separated from the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111. FIG. 4B illustrates a separation step of separating the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 from the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111. The elements denoted by reference numeral 117 are the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 from which the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 are separated.

As illustrated in FIG. 4B, peripheral portions of the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are not bonded to the base substrate 101 in many cases. This is because the peripheral portions of the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are chamfered or the peripheral portions of the bonding layers 114 are damaged or soiled at the time of transferring the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111; accordingly, the base substrate 101 and the bonding layers 114 are not made to be in contact with each other in the peripheral portions. Another possible reason is that separation of the damaged regions 113 is not easily caused in the peripheral portions of the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111. Therefore, the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 having a smaller size than the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are bonded to the base substrate 101. In addition, projection portions are formed at the periphery of the single crystal semiconductor substrates 117, and portions of the insulating films 112 b, the insulating films 112 b, and the bonding layers 114 which are not bonded to the base substrate 101 are left on the projection portions.

When the heat treatment is performed, the element added by ion doping is separated out into microvoids which are formed in the damaged regions 113 by temperature increase, and the pressure in the microvoids is increased. By pressure increase, the volume of the microvoids in the damaged regions 113 is changed and a crack is generated in the damaged regions 113; accordingly, the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are separated along the damaged regions 113. Since the bonding layers 114 are bonded to the base substrate 101, the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 separated from the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are fixed over the base substrate 101. The temperature of the heat treatment for separating the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 from the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 is set at a temperature which does not exceed a strain point of the base substrate 101.

This heat treatment can be performed with a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) apparatus, a resistance heating furnace, a microwave heating apparatus, or the like. As the RTA apparatus, a gas rapid thermal annealing (GRTA) apparatus or a lamp rapid thermal annealing (LRTA) apparatus can be used. It is preferable that the temperature of the base substrate 101 to which the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 are bonded is increased to a temperature in the range of 550° C. to 650° C. inclusive by this heat treatment.

In the case of using a GRTA apparatus, the heating temperature can be in the range of 550° C. to 650° C. inclusive, and the treatment time can be in the range of 0.5 minutes to 60 minutes inclusive. In the case of using a resistance heating furnace, the heating temperature can be in the range of 200° C. to 650° C. inclusive, and the treatment time can be in the range of 2 hours to 4 hours inclusive. In the case of using a microwave heating apparatus, for example, the treatment time can be in the range of 10 minutes to 20 minutes inclusive with a microwave having a frequency of 2.45 GHz.

A specific treatment method of a heat treatment using a vertical furnace with resistance heating is described. The base substrate 101 (see FIG. 4A) to which the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 arranged on the tray 10 are bonded is placed in a boat for the vertical furnace. This boat is carried into a chamber of the vertical furnace. First, the chamber is exhausted to have a vacuum state in order to suppress oxidation of the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111. The degree of vacuum is approximately 5×10⁻³ Pa. After making the vacuum state, nitrogen is supplied to the chamber so that the chamber has a nitrogen atmosphere that is under atmospheric pressure. During this time, the temperature is increased to 200° C.

After making the chamber have a nitrogen atmosphere that is under atmospheric pressure, heating at 200° C. is performed for 2 hours. Then, the temperature is increased to 400° C. in one hour. After the state at a heating temperature of 400° C. stabilizes, the temperature is increased to 600° C. in one hour. After the state at a heating temperature of 600° C. stabilizes, heat treatment at 600° C. is performed for 2 hours. Then, the temperature is decreased to 400° C. in one hour, and after 10 minutes to 30 minutes, the boat is carried out of the chamber. The single crystal semiconductor substrates 117 arranged on the tray 10 and the base substrate 101 to which the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 are bonded that are in the boat are cooled in air atmosphere.

As the heat treatment using the above-described resistance heating furnace, heat treatment for increasing the bond force between the bonding layers 114 and the base substrate 101 and heat treatment for causing separation at the damaged regions 113 are sequentially performed. In the case where these two heat treatments are performed with different apparatuses, for example, heat treatment at a treatment temperature of 200° C. is performed for a treatment time of 2 hours in a resistance heating furnace, and the base substrate 101 and the single crystal semiconductor substrates, 111, which are bonded to each other, are carried out from the furnace. Then, heat treatment at a treatment temperature of 600° C. to 700° C. inclusive is performed for a treatment time of 1 minute to 30 minutes inclusive with an RTA apparatus, so that the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 are separated at the damaged regions 113.

In order that the bonding layers 114 and the base substrate 101 are firmly bonded to each other by treatment with such a low temperature of 700° C. or lower, it is preferable that an OH group or a water molecule (H₂O) exist on the surfaces of the bonding layers 114 or the surface of the base substrate. This is because the bonding layers 114 and the base substrate 101 start bonding to each other by formation of a covalent bond (covalent bond between an oxygen molecule and a hydrogen molecule) or a hydrogen bond by the OH group or the water molecule.

Accordingly, the surfaces of the bonding layers 114 and the base substrate 101 are preferably activated to be hydrophilic. Further, the bonding layers 114 are preferably formed by such a method as to contain oxygen or hydrogen. For example, when a silicon oxide film, a silicon oxynitride film, a silicon nitride oxide film, a silicon nitride film, or the like is formed by a PECVD method at a treatment temperature of 400° C. or lower, the film can contain hydrogen. For formation of the silicon oxide film or the silicon oxynitride film, SiH₄ and N₂O may be used, for example, as a process gas. For formation of the silicon nitride oxide film, SiH₄, NH₃, and N₂O may be used, for example. For formation of the silicon nitride film, SiH₄ and NH₃ may be used, for example. Further, it is also preferable to use a compound including an OH group such as TEOS (chemical formula: Si(OC₂H₅)₄) as a source material in formation by a PECVD method.

Here, treatment at a heating temperature of 700° C. or lower is referred to as low-temperature treatment because the treatment is performed at a temperature equal to or lower than an allowable temperature limit of a glass substrate. In addition, in contrast to this embodiment mode, in forming an SOI substrate by Smart Cut (registered trademark), heat treatment at 800° C. or higher is performed in order to bond a single crystal silicon layer and a single crystal silicon wafer, and heat treatment at a temperature higher than the allowable temperature limit of a glass substrate is required. Accordingly, treatment at a temperature of 700° C. or lower is referred to as low-temperature treatment.

When a substrate which greatly shrinks by heat is used as the base substrate 101, thermal shrinkage due to temperature increase is, in some cases, a problem in a manufacturing process of the semiconductor substrate 100 and a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device which uses the semiconductor substrate 100. In such a case, the influence of the problem can be suppressed by heating the base substrate 101 before bonding the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 so as to cause thermal shrinkage in advance. This heat treatment can be, for example, performed in such a manner that heating at 640° C. is conducted for 4 hours in a resistance heating furnace and then cooling at a rate of 0.2° C./minute is conducted. Alternatively, the heat treatment can be performed with a GRTA apparatus in such a manner that heating at 650° C. for 6 minutes is repeated three to five times. Note that if the base substrate 101 can thermally shrink by heat treatment of FIG. 4B for separating the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111, it is not necessary to perform the heat treatment before bonding.

In the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 bonded to the base substrate 101, crystal defects are formed due to separation at the damaged regions 113 and formation of the damaged regions 113. In addition, the planarity of surfaces of the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 is deteriorated. For reduction of the crystal defects and improvement in planarity of the surfaces, the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 are irradiated with a laser beam 122 as illustrated in FIG. 6A.

By irradiation with the laser beam 122 from the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 side, the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 are melted from their upper surfaces. After melting, the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 are cooled and solidified; accordingly, single crystal semiconductor layers 116 having upper surfaces with improved planarity are formed as illustrated in FIG. 6B. The external view of FIG. 6B is FIG. 1.

In this laser beam irradiation step, since temperature increase of the base substrate 101 is suppressed by using the laser beam 122, a substrate having low heat resistance like a glass substrate can be used as the base substrate 101. It is preferable that the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 be partially melted by irradiation with the laser beam 122. If the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 are completely melted, recrystallization of the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 is accompanied with disordered nucleation of the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 in a liquid phase and crystallinity of the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 is lowered. By partial melting, so-called longitudinal growth in which crystal growth proceeds from a solid portion which is not melted occurs in the single crystal semiconductor layers 115. Due to recrystallization by the longitudinal growth, crystal defects of the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 are decreased and crystallinity thereof is recovered. Note that the state where the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 are completely melted indicates, in the case of the stack structure of FIG. 6A, that the portion from the upper surface of the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 to the interface with the bonding layers 114 is melted and is in a liquid phase. On the other hand, the state where the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 are partially melted indicates that the upper layer thereof is melted and is in a liquid phase and a lower layer thereof is in a solid phase.

As a laser oscillator of the laser beam 122, a laser oscillator capable of oscillating a laser beam having an oscillation wavelength from an ultraviolet region to a visible light region is selected. The laser beam 122 has such a wavelength as to be absorbed by the single crystal semiconductor layers 115. The wavelength can be determined in consideration of the skin depth of the laser beam or the like. For example, the wavelength can be in the range of 250 nm to 700 nm inclusive.

The laser oscillator can be a continuous wave laser, a pseudo continuous wave laser, or a pulsed laser. A pulsed laser is preferable for partial melting. For example, in the case of a pulsed laser, the repetition rate is more than or equal to 1 MHz and the pulse width is more than or equal to 10 nanoseconds and less than or equal to 500 nanoseconds. For example, a XeCl excimer laser with a repetition rate of 10 Hz to 300 Hz, a pulse width of 25 nanoseconds, and a wavelength of 308 nm can be used.

In addition, the energy of the laser beam 122 can be determined in consideration of the wavelength of the laser beam 122, the skin depth of the laser beam 122, the thickness of the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111, and the like. The energy of the laser beam 122 can be, for example, in the range of 300 mJ/cm² to 800 mJ/cm² inclusive. For example, in the case where the thickness of the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 is approximately 120 nm, a pulsed laser is used as the laser oscillator, and the wavelength of the laser beam 122 is 308 nm, the energy density of the laser beam 122 can be 600 mJ/cm² to 700 mJ/cm².

Irradiation with the laser beam 122 is preferably performed in an inert atmosphere such as a rare gas atmosphere or a nitrogen atmosphere or in a vacuum state. In order to perform irradiation with the laser beam 122 in an inert atmosphere, irradiation with the laser beam 122 may be performed in an airtight chamber while the atmosphere in the chamber is controlled. In the case where the chamber is not used, by blowing an inert gas such as a nitrogen gas or a rare gas to the surface irradiated with the laser beam 122, irradiation with the laser beam 122 in an inert atmosphere can be realized.

The inert atmosphere such as nitrogen and a vacuum state have higher effect of improving planarity of the single crystal semiconductor layers 116 than the air atmosphere. In addition, since the inert atmosphere and the vacuum state have higher effect of suppressing generation of cracks and ridges than the air atmosphere, the applicable energy range for the laser beam 122 is widened.

By an optical system, the energy distribution of the laser beam 122 is preferably homogenized and the cross section of the laser beam 122 is preferably made to be linear. Thus, homogeneous irradiation with the laser beam 122 can be performed in high throughput. When the beam length of the laser beam 122 is longer than one side of the base substrate 101, all the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 bonded to the base substrate 101 can be irradiated with the laser beam 122 by scanning once. When the beam length of the laser beam 122 is shorter than one side of the base substrate 101, all the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 bonded to the base substrate 101 can be irradiated with the laser beam 122 by scanning several times.

Note that before irradiating the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 with the laser beam 122, treatment for removing an oxide film such as a natural oxide film formed on the surfaces of the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 is performed. The oxide film is removed because even if irradiation with the laser beam 122 is performed in the state that the oxide film remains on the surfaces of the single crystal semiconductor layers 115, the surfaces of the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 are not planarized sufficiently. The treatment for removing the oxide film can be performed by processing the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 with a hydrogen fluoride aqueous solution. The treatment with hydrofluoric acid is desirably performed until the surfaces of the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 exhibit a hydrophilic property. By exhibition of the hydrophilic property, removal of the oxide film from the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 can be confirmed.

The irradiation step with the laser beam 122 illustrated in FIG. 6A can be performed in the following manner. First, the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 are processed with a hydrogen fluoride aqueous solution diluted at a ratio of 1:100 (=hydrofluoric acid:water) for 110 seconds so that the oxide film on the surfaces is removed. As the laser oscillator of the laser beam 122, a XeCl excimer laser (wavelength: 308 nm, pulse width: 25 nanoseconds, repetition rate: 60 Hz) is used. By an optical system, the laser beam 122 is shaped into a linear shape with a cross section of 300 mm×0.34 mm. The single crystal semiconductor layers 115 are irradiated with the laser beam 122 with a scanning speed of the laser beam 122 of 2.0 mm/second, a scanning pitch of 33 □m, and a shot number of about 10. Scanning with the laser beam 122 is performed while blowing a nitrogen gas to the irradiation surface. Since the beam length of the laser beam 122 is 300 mm, in the case where the base substrate 101 has a size of 730 mm×920 mm, the irradiation region of the laser beam 122 is divided into three regions. In this manner, all the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 bonded to the base substrate 101 can be irradiated with the laser beam 122.

The surfaces of the single crystal semiconductor layers 116, which are irradiated with the laser beam 122, are planarized, and the mean surface roughness of the irregularities of the surfaces can be 1 nm to 7 nm inclusive. In addition, the root-mean-square roughness of the irregularities can be 1 nm to 10 nm inclusive. Further, the maximum peak-to-valley height of the irregularities can be 5 nm to 250 nm inclusive. That is, the irradiation treatment with the laser beam 122 can be regarded as planarization treatment of the single crystal semiconductor layers 115.

When the single crystal semiconductor layers 116 each having a planar surface are formed, the thickness of a gate insulating film formed over the single crystal semiconductor layers 116 can be as thin as about 5 nm to 50 nm inclusive. Accordingly, a transistor having high ON current at the same time as having a suppressed gate voltage can be formed.

Although chemical mechanical polishing (abbr. CMP) is known as the planarization treatment, in the case of using a mother glass substrate as the base substrate 101, it is difficult to perform planarization treatment on the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 by CMP because the mother glass substrate has a large area and distortion. Since irradiation treatment with the laser beam 122 is performed as the planarization treatment in this embodiment mode, the single crystal semiconductor layers 115 can be planarized without using a way of applying force which would break the mother glass substrate or a way of heating the mother glass substrate at a temperature exceeding an allowable temperature limit thereof.

After irradiation with the laser beam 122, the single crystal semiconductor layers 116 are preferably subjected to heat treatment at a temperature of 500° C. to 650° C. inclusive. By this heat treatment, defects in the single crystal semiconductor layers 116, which have not been recovered by the irradiation with the laser beam 122, can be eliminated and distortion of the single crystal semiconductor layers 116, which also have not been recovered by the irradiation with the laser beam 122, can be alleviated. For the heat treatment, a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) apparatus, a resistance heating furnace, a microwave heating apparatus, or the like can be used. As the RTA apparatus, a gas rapid thermal annealing (GRTA) apparatus or a lamp rapid thermal annealing (LRTA) apparatus can be used. In the case of using a resistance heating furnace, this heat treatment may be performed by heating at a temperature of 500° C. for 1 hour and then heating at 550° C. 4 hours.

Through the above-described process, the semiconductor substrate 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 6B can be manufactured. In this embodiment mode, since the base substrate is bonded to the single crystal semiconductor substrate, with the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 arranged in the tray 10, the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 can be easily bonded to desired positions of the base substrate 101 in high throughput.

Since the steps from FIG. 3A up to and including FIG. 6B can be performed at temperatures of equal to or lower than 700° C., a glass substrate having an allowable temperature limit of 700° C. or lower can be used as the base substrate 101. Since an inexpensive glass substrate can be used, the material cost of the semiconductor substrate 100 can be reduced. Furthermore, since a large-sized substrate like a mother glass substrate (500 mm×500 mm or larger, preferably 600 mm×700 mm or larger, and more preferably 700 mm×900 mm or larger) can be used as the base substrate, a large-sized substrate having semiconductor films in which single crystal semiconductor layers are included can be provided.

Embodiment Mode 2

In this embodiment mode, a reprocessing treatment of a single crystal semiconductor substrate will be described. Here, a method of reprocessing the single crystal semiconductor substrate 117 illustrated in FIG. 8B, from which the single crystal semiconductor layer 115 is separated, will be described with reference to FIGS. 11A to 11D.

After the step of FIG. 8B, as illustrated in FIG. 11A, a projection portion 117 a is formed at the periphery of the single crystal semiconductor substrate 117, and portions of the insulating film 112 b, the insulating film 112 a, and the bonding layer 114, which are not bonded to the base substrate 101, are left over the projection portion 117 a.

First, etching treatment for removing the insulating film 112 b, the insulating film 112 a, and the bonding layer 114 is performed. In the case where these films are formed using silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, or silicon nitride oxide, wet etching treatment using a hydrogen fluoride aqueous solution is performed. By this etching treatment, the single crystal semiconductor substrate 117 is obtained as illustrated in FIG. 11B. FIG. 11C is a cross-sectional view taken along a chain line X-Y of FIG. 11B.

Next, the single crystal semiconductor substrate 117 illustrated in FIG. 11B and FIG. 11C is subjected to etching treatment, so that the projection portion 117 a and a separation surface 117 b, from which the single crystal semiconductor layer 115 is separated, are removed. The portion surrounded by a chain line in FIG. 11C indicates a region that should be removed by this etching treatment. By this etching, a region which remains on the single crystal semiconductor substrate 117 and contains hydrogen excessively like the damaged region 113 is removed. As the etching treatment for the single crystal semiconductor substrate 117, wet etching treatment is preferable, and as an etchant, a tetramethylammonium hydroxide (abbr. TMAH) solution can be used.

After removing the projection portion 117 a, the separation surface 117 b, and the damaged region 113 illustrated in FIG. 11C by etching the single crystal semiconductor substrate 117, the surface is polished; accordingly, a single crystal semiconductor substrate 118 having a smooth surface as illustrated in FIG. 11D is formed. This single crystal semiconductor substrate 118 can be reused as the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 illustrated in FIG. 2.

As polishing treatment, chemical mechanical polishing (abbr. CMP) can be used. In order to make the single crystal semiconductor substrate 118 have a smooth surface, polishing of about 1 μm to 10 μm is desirably performed. After polishing, since polishing particles and the like remain on the surface of the single crystal semiconductor substrate 118, cleaning with hydrofluoric acid or RCA cleaning is performed.

By reusing the single crystal semiconductor substrate 118, the material cost of the semiconductor substrate 100 can be reduced.

Embodiment Mode 3

As an example of a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device which uses the semiconductor substrate 100, a manufacturing method of thin film transistors (TFTs) will be described in this embodiment mode, with reference to FIGS. 12A to 12D, FIGS. 13A to 13C, and FIG. 14. By combining a plurality of thin film transistors, various semiconductor devices are manufactured. In this embodiment mode, the semiconductor substrate 100 manufactured by the manufacturing method of Embodiment Mode 1 is used.

As illustrated in FIG. 12A, the single crystal semiconductor layers 116 over the base substrate 101 are processed (patterned) to have a desired shape by etching, so that a semiconductor film 603 and a semiconductor film 604 are formed. A p-channel transistor is formed using the semiconductor film 603, and an n-channel transistor is formed using the semiconductor film 604.

To control threshold voltages, a p-type impurity element such as boron, aluminum, or gallium or an n-type impurity element such as phosphorus or arsenic may be added to the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604. For example, in the case of adding boron as an impurity element imparting p-type conductivity, boron may be added at a concentration of 5×10¹⁶ cm⁻³ to 1×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ inclusive. The addition of the impurity element for controlling the threshold voltages may be performed on the single crystal semiconductor layers 116 or on the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604. Alternatively, the addition of the impurity element for controlling the threshold voltages may be performed on the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111. Further alternatively, the addition of the impurity element may be performed on the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 for roughly adjusting the threshold voltages, and then the addition of the impurity element may be further performed on the single crystal semiconductor layers 116 or on the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604 for finely adjusting the threshold voltages.

Taking as an example the case of using weak p-type single crystal silicon substrates as the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111, an example of a method for adding such an impurity element is described. First, before etching the single crystal semiconductor layers 116, boron is added to the entire single crystal semiconductor layers 116. This addition of boron aims at adjusting the threshold voltage of a p-channel transistor. Using B₂H₆ as a dopant gas, boron is added at a concentration of 1×10¹⁶/cm³ to 1×10¹⁷/cm³. The concentration of boron is determined in consideration of the activation rate or the like. For example, the concentration of boron can be 6×10¹⁶/cm³. Next, the single crystal semiconductor layers 116 are etched to form the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604. Then, boron is added to only the semiconductor film 604. The second addition of boron aims at adjusting the threshold voltage of an n-channel transistor. Using B₂H₆ as a dopant gas, boron is added at a concentration of 1×10¹⁶/cm³ to 1×10¹⁷/cm³. For example, the concentration of boron can be 6×10¹⁶/cm³.

Note that in the case where a substrate having a conductivity type or resistance suitable for the threshold voltage of either of the p-channel transistor or the n-channel transistor can be used as the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111, the required number of steps for adding an impurity element for controlling the threshold voltage can be one; at that time, an impurity element for controlling the threshold voltage may be added to one of the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604.

As illustrated in FIG. 12B, gate insulating films 606 are formed to cover the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604. The gate insulating films 606 can be formed by oxidizing or nitriding surfaces of the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604 by high-density plasma treatment. The high-density plasma treatment is performed using, for example, a mixed gas of a rare gas such as He, Ar, Kr, or Xe and oxygen, nitrogen oxide, ammonia, nitrogen, hydrogen, or the like. In this case, when excitation of the plasma is performed by introduction of a microwave, high density plasma with a low electron temperature can be generated. The surfaces of the semiconductor films are oxidized or nitrided by oxygen radicals (OH radicals may be included) or nitrogen radicals (NH radicals may be included) which are generated by such high-density plasma, whereby insulating films are formed to a thickness of 1 nm to 20 nm, desirably 5 nm to 10 nm so as to be in contact with the semiconductor films. The insulating films with a thickness of 5 nm to 10 nm are used as the gate insulating films 606.

Since the oxidation or nitridation of the semiconductor films by the high-density plasma treatment is a solid-phase reaction, the interface state density between the gate insulating films 606 and each of the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604 can be drastically reduced. In addition, the semiconductor films are directly oxidized or nitrided by the high-density plasma treatment, so that variation in thickness of the insulating films to be formed can be suppressed. In the case where the semiconductor films have crystallinity, by oxidizing the surfaces of the semiconductor films under a solid-phase reaction by the high-density plasma treatment, rapid oxidation only in a crystal grain boundary can be prevented; thus, gate insulating films with good uniformity and low interface state density can be formed. For these reasons, a transistor whose gate insulating film partially or wholly includes an insulating film formed by high-density plasma treatment can have suppressed variation in characteristics.

Alternatively, the gate insulating films 606 may be formed by thermally oxidizing the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604. Further alternatively, the gate insulating films 606 may be formed as a single layer or a stack of plural layers of a film including silicon oxide, silicon nitride oxide, silicon nitride, hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, or tantalum oxide by a PECVD method, a sputtering method, or the like.

After formation of the gate insulating films 606 containing hydrogen, heat treatment may be performed at a temperature of 350° C. to 450° C. inclusive, so that hydrogen contained in the gate insulating films 606 may be diffused into the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604. In this case, the gate insulating films 606 can be formed by stacking silicon nitride or silicon nitride oxide by a PECVD method at a process temperature of lower than or equal to 350° C. By supplying hydrogen to the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604, defects which may function as trapping centers in the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604 or at an interface between the gate insulating films 606 and the semiconductor films 603 and 604 can be effectively reduced.

Then, after forming a conductive film over the gate insulating films 606 as illustrated in FIG. 12C, the conductive film is processed (patterned) into a predetermined shape, thereby forming an electrode 607 over each of the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604. The conductive film can be formed by a CVD method, a sputtering method, or the like. For the conductive film, a metal film made of tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), niobium (Nb), or the like may be used. Alternatively, an alloy film containing the above-described metal as a main component or a compound film containing the above-described metal can also be used. Further alternatively, the conductive film may be formed using a semiconductor film to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type such as a polycrystalline silicon film containing phosphorus is added.

In addition, although each of the electrodes 607 is formed of a single-layer conductive film in this embodiment mode, this embodiment mode is not limited to this structure. The electrodes 607 may be formed by stacking plural conductive films. In the case of a two-layer structure, as a combination of two conductive films, a film made of tantalum nitride or tantalum (Ta) can be used for a first layer, and a tungsten (W) film can be used for a second layer. Moreover, the following combinations are given: a tungsten nitride film and a tungsten film, a molybdenum nitride film and a molybdenum film, an aluminum film and a tantalum film, an aluminum film and a titanium film, and the like. Since a tungsten film and a tantalum nitride film have high heat resistance, heat treatment for thermal activation can be performed after a conductive film with a two-layer structure is formed. Alternatively, as other combinations of the conductive films forming the conductive film with a two-layer structure, for example, a Si film to which an impurity imparting n-type conductivity is added and a nickel silicide film, a Si film to which an impurity imparting n-type conductivity is added and a tungsten silicide film, and the like can be given.

In the case that each of the electrodes 607 has a three-layer structure in which three or more conductive films are stacked, a stacked-layer structure of a molybdenum film, an aluminum film, and a molybdenum film may be employed.

As masks used for forming the electrodes 607, instead of resist, silicon oxide, silicon nitride oxide, or the like may be used. In this case, although a step of etching silicon oxide, silicon nitride oxide, or the like is added, the reduction in film thickness and width of the masks at the time of etching is less than that in the case of using a resist mask; accordingly, the electrodes 607 each having a desired width can be formed. Alternatively, the electrodes 607 may be formed selectively by a droplet discharge method without using the masks.

Note that a droplet discharge method means a method in which droplets containing a predetermined composition are discharged or ejected from fine pores to form a predetermined pattern, and includes an ink-jet method and the like.

After forming the conductive film, the conductive film is etched by an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching method to form the electrodes 607. The conductive film can be etched into a desired tapered shape by appropriately controlling the etching condition (e.g., the amount of electric power applied to a coiled electrode layer, the amount of electric power applied to an electrode layer on the substrate side, or the electrode temperature on the substrate side). Further, angles and the like of the taper shapes can also be controlled by the shape of the masks. Note that as an etching gas, a chlorine-based gas such as chlorine, boron chloride, silicon chloride or carbon tetrachloride; a fluorine-based gas such as carbon tetrafluoride, sulfur fluoride, or nitrogen fluoride; or oxygen can be used as appropriate.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 12D, an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added to the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604 with the use of the electrodes 607 as masks. In this embodiment mode, an impurity element imparting p-type conductivity (e.g., boron) is added to the semiconductor film 603, and an impurity element imparting n-type conductivity (e.g., phosphorus or arsenic) is added to the semiconductor film 604. In this step, impurity regions to be a source region and a drain region are formed in the semiconductor film 603, and impurity regions serving as high-resistant regions are formed in the semiconductor film 604.

Note that when the impurity element imparting p-type conductivity is added to the semiconductor film 603, the semiconductor film 604 is covered with a mask or the like so that the impurity element imparting p-type conductivity is not added to the semiconductor film 604. Then, when the impurity element imparting n-type conductivity is added to the semiconductor film 604, the semiconductor film 603 is covered with a mask or the like so that the impurity element imparting n-type conductivity is not added to the semiconductor film 603. Alternatively, an impurity imparting p-type (or n-type) conductivity is added to both the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604 first. Then, using a mask, an impurity imparting n-type (or p-type) conductivity is added to only the semiconductor film 604 (or the semiconductor film 603) to be included at a higher concentration than the impurity element imparting p-type (or n-type) conductivity that is already added. By this step of adding impurity elements, p-type high-concentration impurity regions 608 are formed in the semiconductor film 603, and n-type low-concentration impurity regions 609 are formed in the semiconductor film 604. The regions overlapped with the electrodes 607 in the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604 are a channel formation region 610 and a channel formation region 611.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 13A, sidewalls 612 are formed on side surfaces of the electrodes 607. For example, the sidewalls 612 can be formed in such a manner that an insulating film is newly formed so as to cover the gate insulating films 606 and the electrodes 607, and the newly-formed insulating film is partially etched by anisotropic etching in which etching is performed mainly in a perpendicular direction. The newly-formed insulating film is partially etched by the above-described anisotropic etching, whereby the sidewalls 612 are formed on the side surfaces of the electrodes 607. Note that the gate insulating films 606 are also partially etched by this anisotropic etching. The insulating film for forming the sidewalls 612 can be formed as a single layer or a stack of two or more layers of a film including an organic material such as an organic resin or a film of silicon, silicon oxide, or silicon nitride oxide by a PECVD method, a sputtering method, or the like. In this embodiment mode, the insulating film is formed of a silicon oxide film with a thickness of 100 nm by a PECVD method. In addition, as an etching gas of the silicon oxide film, a mixed gas of CHF₃ and helium can be used. It is to be noted that the steps for formation of the sidewalls 612 are not limited to the steps given here.

As illustrated in FIG. 13B, an impurity element imparting n-type conductivity is added to the semiconductor film 604 by using the electrode 607 and the sidewalls 612 as masks. This step is a step for forming impurity regions serving as a source region and a drain region in the semiconductor film 604. In this step, the impurity element imparting n-type conductivity is added to the semiconductor film 604 while the semiconductor film 603 is covered with a mask or the like.

In the above-described addition of the impurity element, the electrode 607 and the sidewalls 612 serve as masks; accordingly, a pair of n-type high-concentration impurity regions 614 are formed in the semiconductor film 604 in a self-alignment manner. Then, the mask covering the semiconductor film 603 is removed, and heat treatment is performed to activate the impurity element imparting p-type conductivity added to the semiconductor film 603 and the impurity element imparting n-type conductivity added to the semiconductor film 604. Through the sequence of the steps illustrated in FIGS. 12A to 12D and FIGS. 13A and 13B, a p-channel transistor 617 and an n-channel transistor 618 are formed.

In order to reduce the resistance of the source and drain, a silicide layer may be formed by siliciding the p-type high-concentration impurity regions 608 in the semiconductor film 603 and the pair of n-type high-concentration impurity regions 614 in the semiconductor film 604. The siliciding is performed by placing a metal in contact with the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604 and causing reaction between the metal and silicon in the semiconductor films through heat treatment; in this manner, a silicide compound is generated. As the metal, cobalt or nickel is preferable, or the following can be used: titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), tantalum (Ta), vanadium (V), neodymium (Nd), chromium (Cr), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), or the like. In the case where the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604 are thin, the silicide reaction may proceed to the bottom of the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604 in this region. As the heat treatment for forming a silicide, a resistance heating furnace, an RTA apparatus, a microwave heating apparatus, or a laser irradiation apparatus can be used.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 13C, an insulating film 619 is formed to cover the p-channel transistor 617 and the n-channel transistor 618. As the insulating film 619, an insulating film containing hydrogen is formed. In this embodiment mode, a silicon nitride oxide film with a thickness of approximately 600 nm is formed by a PECVD method using monosilane, ammonia, and N₂O as a source gas. The insulating film 619 is made to contain hydrogen because hydrogen can be diffused from the insulating film 619 so that dangling bonds in the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604 can be terminated. The formation of the insulating film 619 can prevent impurities such as an alkali metal and an alkaline earth metal from entering the p-channel transistor 617 and the n-channel transistor 618. Specifically, it is desirable to use a film made of silicon nitride, silicon nitride oxide, aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, or the like for the insulating film 619.

Next, an insulating film 620 is formed over the insulating film 619 so as to cover the p-channel transistor 617 and the n-channel transistor 618. An organic material having heat resistance, such as polyimide, acrylic, benzocyclobutene, polyamide, or epoxy can be used for the insulating film 620. In addition to such organic materials, it is also possible to use a low-dielectric constant material (a low-k material), a siloxane resin, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon nitride oxide, PSG (phosphosilicate glass), BPSG (borophosphosilicate glass), alumina, or the like. Alternatively, the insulating film 620 may be formed by stacking a plurality of insulating films formed of these materials. The insulating film 620 may have its surface flattened by a CMP method or the like.

Note that the siloxane-based resin corresponds to a resin including a Si—O—Si bond formed using a siloxane-based material as a starting material. The siloxane-based resin may include as a substituent at least one of fluorine, an alkyl group, and an aryl group, as well as hydrogen.

For the formation of the insulating film 620, the following method can be used depending on the material of the insulating film 620: a CVD method, a sputtering method, an SOG method, a spin coating method, a dip coating method, a spray coating method, a droplet discharge method (e.g., an inkjet method, screen printing, or offset printing), a doctor knife, a roll coater, a curtain coater, a knife coater, or the like.

Next, heat treatment at approximately 400° C. to 450° C. (e.g., 410° C.) is performed in a nitrogen atmosphere for 1 hour, so that hydrogen is made to diffuse from the insulating film 619 and dangling bonds in the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604 are terminated with hydrogen. Since the single crystal semiconductor layers 116 have a much lower defect density than a polycrystalline silicon film which is formed by crystallizing an amorphous silicon film, this termination treatment with hydrogen can be performed in short time.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 14, contact holes are formed in the insulating film 619 and the insulating film 620 so that the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604 are partially exposed. The formation of the contact holes can be performed by a dry etching method using a mixed gas of CHF₃ and He; however, the present invention is not limited to this. Then, conductive films 621 and conductive films 622 are formed to be in contact with the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604, respectively through the contact holes. The conductive films 621 are connected to the p-type high-concentration impurity regions 608 of the p-channel transistor 617. The conductive films 622 are connected to the pair of n-type high-concentration impurity regions 614 of the n-channel transistor 618.

The conductive films 621 and the conductive films 622 can be formed by a CVD method, a sputtering method, or the like. Specifically, a metal film made of the following can be used for the conductive films 621 and the conductive films 622: aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), copper (Cu), gold (Au), silver (Ag), manganese (Mn), neodymium (Nd), or the like. Alternatively, an alloy film containing the above-described metal as a main component or a compound film containing the above-described metal (for example, a metal silicide film) can also be used. The conductive films 621 and the conductive films 622 can be formed of a single layer or a plurality of layers using a film formed of the above-described metal.

As an example of an alloy containing aluminum as its main component, an alloy containing aluminum as its main component and also containing nickel is given. Further, an alloy which contains aluminum as its main component and contains nickel and one or both of carbon and silicon can also be given. Since aluminum and aluminum silicon have low resistance values and are inexpensive, aluminum and aluminum silicon are suitable as a material for forming the conductive films 621 and the conductive films 622. In particular, when the shape of an aluminum silicon (Al—Si) film is processed by etching, generation of hillocks in resist baking for forming an etching mask can be prevented more than in the case where an aluminum film is used. Instead of silicon (Si), Cu may be mixed into an aluminum film at about 0.5%.

For example, a stacked structure including a barrier film, an aluminum silicon (Al—Si) film, and a barrier film or a stacked structure including a barrier film, an aluminum silicon (Al—Si) film, a titanium nitride film, and a barrier film may be used for the conductive films 621 and the conductive films 622. Note that as the barrier film, a film formed using titanium, a nitride of titanium, molybdenum, or a nitride of molybdenum can be used. When barrier films are formed to sandwich an aluminum silicon (Al—Si) film therebetween, generation of hillocks of aluminum or aluminum silicon can be prevented more effectively. Moreover, when the barrier film is formed using titanium that is a highly-reducible element, even if a thin oxide film is formed over the semiconductor film 603 and the semiconductor film 604, the oxide film is reduced by the titanium contained in the barrier film, whereby preferable contact between the conductive films 621 and 622 and the semiconductor films 603 and 604 can be obtained. Further, it is also possible to stack a plurality of barrier films. In that case, for example, a five-layer structure in which a titanium film, a titanium nitride film, an aluminum silicon film, a titanium film, and a titanium nitride film are stacked from the lowest layer can be used for the conductive films 621 and the conductive films 622.

For the conductive films 621 and the conductive films 622, tungsten silicide films formed by a chemical vapor deposition method using a WF₆ gas and a SiH₄ gas may be used. Alternatively, tungsten films formed by hydrogen reduction of WF₆ may be used for the conductive films 621 and the conductive films 622.

In FIG. 14, a top view of the p-channel transistor 617 and the n-channel transistor 618 and a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-B of the top view are illustrated. Note that the conductive films 621, the conductive films 622, the insulating film 619, and the insulating film 620 are omitted in top view of FIG. 14.

Although the case where each of the p-channel transistor 617 and the n-channel transistor 618 has one electrode 607 functioning as a gate is described in this embodiment mode, the present invention is not limited to this structure. The transistor manufactured in the present invention may have a multi-gate structure in which a plurality of electrodes functioning as gates are included and electrically connected to one another.

Moreover, the transistors included in the semiconductor device manufactured in the present invention may have a gate planar structure.

Note that since a semiconductor layer included in the substrate of the present invention provided with semiconductor films is a sliced layer of a single crystal semiconductor substrate, orientation does not vary. Consequently, variation in electric characteristics such as threshold voltage and mobility of a plurality of transistors manufactured using a semiconductor substrate can be made to be small. Further, since there is basically no crystal grain boundary, a leak current due to a crystal grain boundary can be suppressed, as well as realize power saving of a semiconductor device. Accordingly, a highly reliable semiconductor device can be manufactured.

In the case of manufacturing a transistor from a polycrystalline semiconductor film obtained by laser crystallization, it has been necessary to decide a layout of the semiconductor film of the transistor taking into consideration a scanning direction of laser light, in order to obtain high mobility. However, there is no such need for the substrate of the present invention provided with semiconductor films, and there is little ristrictions in designing a semiconductor device.

Embodiment Mode 4

In Embodiment Mode 3, a manufacturing method of a TFT is described as an example of a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device. By forming various semiconductor elements such as a capacitor, resistor, and the like together with a TFT over a substrate provided with semiconductor films, a high-value added semiconductor device can be manufactured. In this embodiment mode, a specific mode of a semiconductor device will be described with reference to drawings.

First, as an example of a semiconductor device, a microprocessor will be described. FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a structural example of a microprocessor 200.

The microprocessor 200 includes an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) 201, an ALU controller 202, an instruction decoder 203, an interrupt controller 204, a timing controller 205, a register 206, a register controller 207, a bus interface (bus I/F) 208, a read only memory (ROM) 209, and a ROM interface 210.

An instruction input to the microprocessor 200 via the bus interface 208 is input to the instruction decoder 203 and decoded, and then input to the ALU controller 202, the interrupt controller 204, the register controller 207, and the timing controller 205. The ALU controller 202, the interrupt controller 204, the register controller 207, and the timing controller 205 performs various controls based on the decoded instruction.

The ALU controller 202 generates a signal for controlling an operation of the ALU 201. The interrupt controller 204 is a circuit that processes an interruption request from an external input/output device or a peripheral circuit during program execution of the microprocessor 200, and the interrupt controller 204 determines priority of the interruption request or a masked state and processes the interruption request. The register controller 207 generates an address of the register 206 and performs reading and writing from/to the register 206 depending on a state of the microprocessor 200. The timing controller 205 generates signals controlling timing of operation of the ALU 201, the ALU controller 202, the instruction decoder 203, the interrupt controller 204, and the register controller 207. For example, the timing controller 205 is provided with an internal clock generator that generates an internal clock signal CLK2 based on a reference clock signal CLK1. As shown in FIG. 15, the internal clock signal CLK2 is input to another circuit.

Next, an example of a semiconductor device provided with a function for performing transmission/reception of data without contact and an arithmetic function are described. FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a structural example of such a semiconductor device. A semiconductor device 211 shown in FIG. 16 functions as an arithmetic processing unit that operates by transmitting/receiving a signal to/from an external device through wireless communication.

As shown in FIG. 16, the semiconductor device 211 includes an analog circuit portion 212 and a digital circuit portion 213. The analog circuit portion 212 includes a resonance circuit 214 having a resonant capacitor, a rectification circuit 215, a constant-voltage circuit 216, a reset circuit 217, oscillation circuit 218, a demodulation circuit 219, and a modulation circuit 220. Further, the digital circuit portion 213 includes an RF interface 221, a control register 222, a clock controller 223, a CPU interface 224, a central processing unit (CPU) 225, a random access memory (RAM) 226, and a read only memory (ROM) 227.

A summary of the operation of the semiconductor device 211 is as follows. An induced electromotive force is generated in the resonance circuit 214 using a signal received by an antenna 228. The induced electromotive force passes through the rectification circuit 215 and charges a capacitor 229. This capacitor 229 is preferably a capacitor such as a ceramic capacitor or an electric double layer capacitor. The capacitor 229 does not always have to be integrated with a substrate included in the semiconductor device 211, and it may be mounted to the semiconductor device 211 as a different component.

The reset circuit 217 generates a signal that resets and initializes the digital circuit portion 213. For example, a signal that rises up lagging behind a rise in power supply voltage is generated as a reset signal. The oscillation circuit 218 changes the frequency and duty ratio of a clock signal depending on a control signal generated in the constant-voltage circuit 216. The demodulation circuit 219 is a circuit that demodulates a reception signal, and the modulation circuit 220 is a circuit that modulates data to be transmitted.

For example, the demodulation circuit 219 is formed using a low-pass filter and binarizes a received signal of an amplitude shift keying (ASK) method based on variation of amplitude. Since the modulation circuit 220 varies the amplitude of an amplitude-modulated (ASK) transmission signal and transmits the data, the modulation circuit 220 changes the amplitude of a communication signal by changing a resonance point of the resonance circuit 214.

The clock controller 223 generates a control signal for changing the frequency and duty ratio of a clock signal depending on power supply voltage or current consumption in the CPU 225. Monitoring of the power supply voltage is performed in a power supply management circuit 230.

A signal input to the semiconductor device 211 from the antenna 228 is demodulated in the demodulation circuit 219, and then separated into a control command, data, and the like in the RF interface 221. The control command is stored in the control register 222. In the control command, instructions for reading data that is stored in the ROM 227, writing data in the RAM 226, performing an arithmetic calculation in the CPU 225, and the like are included.

The CPU 225 accesses the ROM 227, the RAM 226, and the control register 222 via the CPU interface 224. The CPU interface 224 has a function of generating an access signal corresponding to any of the ROM 227, the RAM 226, and the control register 222, based on an address requested by the CPU 225.

As an arithmetic method of the CPU 225, a method may be employed in which an operating system (OS) is stored in the ROM 227 and a program is read and executed at the time of starting operation. Alternatively, a method may be employed in which a dedicated circuit is provided as an arithmetic circuit and an arithmetic process is performed using hardware. In a method of using both hardware and software, part of an arithmetic process is performed in a dedicated arithmetic circuit, and then the rest of the arithmetic process is performed using a program in the CPU 225.

Next, a display device is described as a structural example of a semiconductor device, with reference to FIG. 17, FIGS. 18A and 18B, and FIGS. 19A and 19B.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a main portion of the semiconductor substrate 100 manufactured according to the manufacturing method in Embodiment Mode 1. From a single semiconductor substrate 100, a plurality of display panels each included in a display device can be manufactured. In FIG. 17, an example of a circuit arrangement for manufacturing one display device from one single crystal semiconductor layer 116 is shown. For each single crystal semiconductor layer 116, a display panel formation region 300 is formed. In a display device, a scan line driver circuit, a signal line driver circuit, and a pixel portion are included. Accordingly, each display panel formation region 300 has regions in which they are formed (a scan line driver circuit formation region 301, a signal line driver circuit formation region 302, and a pixel formation region 303).

FIGS. 18A and 18B are diagrams showing a structural example of a liquid crystal display device. FIG. 18A is a plane view of a pixel of the liquid crystal display device, and FIG. 18B is a cross-sectional view of the diagram of FIG. 18A along a section line J-K. In FIG. 18A, a semiconductor layer 311 is a layer formed from the single crystal semiconductor layer 116, and forms a TFT 325 of the pixel. The pixel includes the semiconductor layer 311; a scan line 322 that crosses the semiconductor layer 311; a signal line 323 that crosses the scan line 322; a pixel electrode 324; and an electrode 328 that is electrically connected to the pixel electrode 324 and the semiconductor layer 311.

As shown in FIG. 18B, the bonding layer 114, the insulating layer 112 including the insulating film 112 b and the insulating film 112 a, and the semiconductor layer 311 are stacked over a substrate 310. The substrate 310 is a separated base substrate 101. The semiconductor layer 311 is a layer formed by element separation of the single crystal semiconductor layer 116 by etching. In the semiconductor layer 311, a channel forming region 312 and an n-type impurity region 313 are formed. A gate electrode of the TFT 325 is included in the scan line 322, and one of a source electrode and a drain electrode is included in the signal line 323.

Over an interlayer insulating film 327, the signal line 323, the pixel electrode 324, and the electrode 328 are provided. Over the interlayer insulating film 327, a columnar spacer 329 is formed, and an orientation film 330 is formed so as to cover the signal line 323, the pixel electrode 324, the electrode 328, and the columnar spacer 329. Over an opposing substrate 332, an opposing electrode 333 and an orientation film 334 that covers the opposing electrode are formed. The columnar spacer 329 is formed to maintain a space between the substrate 310 and the opposing substrate 332. In the space formed by the columnar spacer 329, a liquid crystal layer 335 is formed. At connection portions of the signal line 323 and the electrode 328 with the n-type impurity region 313, because there are steps formed in the interlayer insulating film 327 due to formation of contact holes, orientation of liquid crystals in the liquid crystal layer 335 in these connection portions becomes disordered easily. Accordingly, the columnar spacer 329 is formed at these step portions to prevent orientation disorder of liquid crystal.

Next, an electroluminescent display device (hereinafter referred to as an “EL display device”) will be described. FIGS. 19A and 19B are diagrams for describing an EL display device manufactured according to the method in Embodiment Mode 2. FIG. 19A is a plane view of a pixel of the EL display device, and FIG. 19B is a cross-sectional view of the pixel. As shown in FIG. 19A, the pixel includes a selection transistor 401 made of a TFT, a display control transistor 402, a scan line 405, a signal line 406, a current supply line 407, and a pixel electrode 408. Each pixel is provided with a light-emitting element with a structure in which a layer formed to contain an electroluminescent material (EL layer) is interposed between a pair of electrodes. One of the electrodes of the light-emitting element is the pixel electrode 408.

The selection transistor 401 is an n-channel TFT, and includes the semiconductor layer 403 that is made of the single crystal semiconductor layer 116. In the selection transistor 401, a gate electrode is included in the scan line 405, one of source and drain electrodes is included in the signal line 406, and the other of the source and drain electrodes is formed as an electrode 411. In the display control transistor 402, a gate electrode 412 is electrically connected to the electrode 411, and one of source and drain electrodes is formed as an electrode 413 that is electrically connected to the pixel electrode 408, and the other of the source and drain electrodes is included in the current supply line 407.

The display control transistor 402 is a p-channel TFT, and includes the semiconductor layer 404 that is made of the single crystal semiconductor layer 116. As shown in FIG. 19B, in the semiconductor layer 404, a channel forming region 451 and a p-type impurity region 452 are formed. An interlayer insulating film 427 is formed so as to cover the gate electrode 412 of the display control transistor 402. Over the interlayer insulating film 427, the signal line 406, the current supply line 407, the electrodes 411 and 413, and the like are formed. In addition, over the interlayer insulating film 427, the pixel electrode 408 that is electrically connected to the electrode 413 is formed. A peripheral portion of the pixel electrode 408 is surrounded by an insulating partition layer 428. An EL layer 429 is formed over the electrode 408, and an opposing electrode 430 is formed over the EL layer 429. An opposing substrate 431 is provided as a reinforcing plate, and the opposing substrate 431 is fixed to a substrate 400 with a resin layer 432. The substrate 400 is a separated base substrate 101.

Note that in the semiconductor substrate 100 in FIG. 17, a semiconductor device described in FIG. 15 or FIG. 16 can be formed in the display panel formation region 300. That is, a computer function can be provided in a display device. Further, a display device capable of inputting/outputting date without contact can be manufactured.

Accordingly, various electronic appliances can be manufactured using the semiconductor substrate 100. The electronic appliances include cameras such as a video camera and a digital camera; a navigation system; a sound reproduction system (a car audio system, an audio component, and the like); a computer; a game machine; a mobile information terminal (a mobile computer, a cellular phone, a mobile game machine, an electronic book, and the like); a display device that displays image data such as an image reproduction device provided with a recording medium (specifically, a digital versatile disc (DVD)); and the like.

With reference to FIGS. 20A to 20C, specific modes of the electronic appliance are described. FIG. 20A is an external view showing an example of a cellular phone 901. This cellular phone 901 has a structure in which a display portion 902, an operation switch 903, and the like are included. By applying the liquid crystal display device described in FIGS. 18A and 18B or the EL display device described in FIGS. 19A and 19B to the display portion 902, the display portion 902 can have excellent image quality with little display unevenness.

FIG. 20B is an external view showing a structural example of a digital player 911. The digital player 911 includes a display portion 912, an operation portion 913, an earpiece 914, and the like. Alternatively, headphones or a wireless earpiece can be sued instead of the earpiece 914. By applying the liquid crystal display device described in FIGS. 18A and 18B or the EL display device described in FIGS. 19A and 19B to the display portion 912, even in the case where the screen size is about 0.3 inches to 2 inches, an image with high precision and a large amount of text information can be displayed.

FIG. 20C is an external view of an electronic book 921. This electronic book 921 includes a display portion 922 and an operation switch 923. A modem may be incorporated into the electronic book 921, or the semiconductor device in FIG. 16 may be incorporated so that the electronic book 921 has a structure by which information can be transmitted/received wirelessly. By applying the liquid crystal display device described in FIGS. 18A and 18B or the EL display device described in FIGS. 19A and 19B to the display device 922, a display with high image quality can be performed.

Embodiment Mode 5

In this embodiment mode, a tray used for manufacturing a substrate provided with semiconductor films is described. The tray 10 in FIG. 7 has a plurality of depression portions 11 each for storing one single crystal semiconductor substrate. Alternatively, a substrate provided with semiconductor films can be manufactured by placing a plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates in one depression portion of the tray.

An example of a tray with such a structure is shown in FIG. 21. A tray 20 is a plate-like member formed of a similar material to the material of the tray 10. A depression portion 21 for holding the single crystal semiconductor substrate 111 is formed. The depression portion 21 is to have a shape in which a plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 can be arranged with no space between them. On the tray 20 in FIG. 21 for example, the depression portion 11 is shown in the case that a three-by-three arrangement of the single crystal semiconductor substrates 111 is considered as one block.

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application serial no. 2007-245900 filed with Japan Patent Office on September 21 in 2007, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 

1. A manufacturing method of an SOI substrate, comprising the steps of: preparing a plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates each with an upper surface with an insulating layer thereover, a bonding layer over the insulating layer, and a damaged region formed in a region at a predetermined depth; arranging the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates on a tray; bonding a base substrate and the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates by contacting between the base substrate and the bonding layers; and generating cracks in the damaged regions by heating the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates to obtain the base substrate to which a plurality of first single crystal semiconductor layers separated from the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates are attached.
 2. The manufacturing method of the SOI substrate according to claim 1, wherein hydrogen gas is used as a source gas for forming the damaged region; and wherein the damaged region is formed by exciting the hydrogen gas to generate plasma containing H₃ ⁺, accelerating an ion species contained in plasma, and then adding the ion species to the single crystal semiconductor substrates.
 3. The manufacturing method of the SOI substrate according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first single crystal semiconductor layers disposed to be in contact with the base substrate are irradiated with a laser beam to form a plurality of second single crystal semiconductor layers.
 4. The manufacturing method of the SOI substrate according to claim 1, wherein the base substrate is a glass substrate.
 5. A manufacturing method of an SOI substrate, comprising the steps of: preparing a plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates each with an upper surface with an insulating layer thereover, a bonding layer over the insulating layer, and a damaged region formed in a region at a predetermined depth; arranging the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates on a tray; bonding a base substrate and the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates by contacting between the base substrate and the bonding layers; and generating cracks in the damaged regions by heating the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates to obtain the base substrate to which a plurality of first single crystal semiconductor layers separated from the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates are attached, wherein a formation step of the bonding layer includes forming the bonding layer over the single crystal semiconductor substrate with the insulating layer interposed therebetween; and wherein a formation step of the damaged region includes forming the damaged region in the single crystal semiconductor substrate by exciting a source gas to generate plasma, and then adding an ion species contained in the plasma to the single crystal semiconductor substrate after the formation step of the bonding layer.
 6. The manufacturing method of the SOI substrate according to claim 5, wherein hydrogen gas is used as the source gas for forming the damaged region, and wherein the damaged region is formed by exciting the hydrogen gas to generate plasma containing H₃ ⁺, accelerating the ion species contained in the plasma, and then adding the ion species to the single crystal semiconductor substrates.
 7. The manufacturing method of the SOI substrate according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of first single crystal semiconductor layers disposed to be in contact with the base substrate are irradiated with a laser beam to form a plurality of second single crystal semiconductor layers.
 8. The manufacturing method of the SOI substrate according to claim 5, wherein the base substrate is a glass substrate.
 9. A manufacturing method of an SOI substrate, comprising the steps of: preparing a plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates each with an upper surface with an insulating layer thereover, a bonding layer over the insulating layer, and a damaged region formed in a region at a predetermined depth; arranging the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates on a tray; bonding a base substrate and the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates by contacting between the base substrate and the bonding layers; and generating cracks in the damaged regions by heating the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates to obtain the base substrate to which a plurality of first single crystal semiconductor layers separated from the plurality of single crystal semiconductor substrates are attached, wherein a formation step of the damaged region includes forming the damaged region in the single crystal semiconductor substrates by exciting a source gas to generate plasma, and then adding an ion species contained in the plasma to the single crystal semiconductor substrate; wherein a formation step of the insulating layer includes forming at least one insulating layer over the single crystal semiconductor substrate after the formation step of the damaged region; and wherein a formation step of the bonding layer includes forming the bonding layer over the single crystal semiconductor substrate with the insulating layer interposed therebetween after the formation step of the insulating layer.
 10. The manufacturing method of the SOI substrate according to claim 9, wherein hydrogen gas is used as the source gas for forming the damaged region; and the damaged region is formed by exciting the hydrogen gas to generate plasma containing H₃ ⁺, accelerating the ion species contained in the plasma, and then adding the ion species to the single crystal semiconductor substrates.
 11. The manufacturing method of the SOI substrate according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of first single crystal semiconductor layers disposed to be in contact with the base substrate are irradiated with a laser beam to form a plurality of second single crystal semiconductor layers.
 12. The manufacturing method of the SOI substrate according to claim 9, wherein the base substrate is a glass substrate. 